The Effects of Scarcity Messages on Travel Product Purchase Intentions in High and Low Need for Cognition Groups: Focusing on Time-Limited and Person-Limited Price Discounts

This study aimed to examine how scarcity messages influence travel product purchase intentions and how the impacts were moderated by consumers' high or low need for cognition. The two types of scarcity messages were presented, one with time-limited price discounts and the other with limited-person price discounts. The results of the experiment were as follows. First, the low need for cognition group showed higher purchase intentions when the time-limited scarcity message featured a longer time limit, whereas the high need for cognition group showed higher purchase intentions when the time-limited scarcity message suggested a shorter time limit. Second, the group with a low need for cognition showed higher purchase intentions when limited-person scarcity messages featured a small number of eligible people, whereas the group with a high need for cognition showed higher purchase intentions when limited-person messages suggested a large number of eligible people. Third, the purchase intentions of the low need for cognition group were higher when limited-person scarcity messages were present than limited-time scarcity messages, whereas the high need for cognition group was more reactive to limited-time scarcity messages than limited-person scarcity messages. Furthermore, the interaction effect between the need for cognition and scarcity messages was significant. These experimental results may provide strategic implications for sales promotion activities, specifically in regard to the types of scarcity messages that travel and tourism service companies should utilize to strengthen purchase intentions.